Standing at Hawk’s Nest and looking southeast, we behold “High Point,” the most elevated land in the State of New Jersey, it being the highest point in the Shawangunk range. Northeast of us the Appalachian mountains rise to the horizon as far as the eye can reach.
INN AT HIGH POINT.
Turning to the southwest, “Pilot Knob” comes into view, towering hundreds of feet above the surrounding hills. To the northwest rises the Carbon mountains that furnish us with coal. And above all towers Mount Arrat, where it rains or snows every day during the year.
This direction also brings into view the rocky fortress where Tom Quick, the Indian Slayer, dug his cave and lay in ambush to wreak vengeance on his deadly foe. Northwesterly rise the “Fish Cabin” mountains, through whose rocks the water has cut a channel hundreds of feet in depth, and falls in the Delaware below. At Handsome Eddy and Shohola, the rocks rise in majesty above the river, and just beyond is the fatal battleground of the battle of the “Minisink.” At the north the country is dotted by the thrifty farmer with his cattle grazing on a thousand hills.
About five miles east from Hawk’s Nest rises the Shawangunk mountain, and at its base flows the lovely and placid Neversink (Mahackamack) river.
The Neversink valley runs northeast and southwest whilst the Delaware Valley runs northwest and southeast. The waters of the Delaware and Neversink unite about five miles from Hawk’s Nest, at a point called “Tri-States Rock,” this being a place that a person can stand in three states at the same time—New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Two miles above Hawk’s Nest, the waters of the Mongaup empty into the Delaware river. One-and-a-half miles east of Hawk’s Nest, the rapid Shinglekill plunges into the Delaware river. The fountain-head of this stream is a Big Pond, a small lake, about three miles from Huguenot. The waters of the Steneykill and Little Pond unite with the Shinglekill. The Sparrowbush unites with the Delaware about three miles from Hawk’s Nest. Below Hawk’s Nest Rock is Hawk’s Nest road, a lovely and romantic drive, from which can be seen the beautiful views I have described. Hundreds of feet below this road runs the Delaware and Hudson canal. As our vision extends across the canal and river to the Pennsylvania shore, we see the iron horse, puffing and blowing, as if to escape from the power of man. As we watch it in its course, it dashes across the iron bridge at Saw Mill Rift and enters the state of New York. At the angle of the Neversink and Delaware rivers, nestling between the mountains, lays the beautiful city of Port Jervis, with its factories, churches and monuments. On the west rises the lofty spires of Mount William and Point Peter, and opposite in the sister State of Pennsylvania is located the beautiful village of Matamoras, the rival town of Milford, whilst a little to the south is located the pretty village of Tri-States. About five miles northeast from Port Jervis, on the line of the canal, near the banks of the Neversink, is the old Peanpack (Huguenot) settlement. Thus I have described the Delaware Valley as seen by a bird’s eye view in July 1891.
But it is not of this time I write. Our tale of love and suffering dates back two hundred years ago; when the red man of the forest held sway, and contended for every inch of ground that the white man attempted to appropriate; when the war whoop, instead of the steam whistle, was heard.